


Said Goodbye, Turned Around And You Were Gone (I Will Carry You With Me, ‘Till I See You Again)

by piper__b



Category: 9-1-1
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crushes, Cute family dynamics, Gen, It follows the plot, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Mentions of Blood, Multi, Swearing, Unbeta'd, a prompt on tumblr, besides Maddie and Buck, i believe eddie's parents were good people when he was younger, i use their full names, idiots to lovers, injuries, just a bit hacked up, just a lil bit, kid AU, my buckley-diaz boys, no beta: we lie like men, old friends au, over use of italics, this totally didn't take two weeks to write, we don't like the Buckley's in this house
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 17:47:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27600233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/piper__b/pseuds/piper__b
Summary: When he heard a bag drop loudly outside he realized he had specters and one awfully familiar pair of eyes following him. The man was moving towards him and Eddie would recognize that birthmark anywhere.This was Evan! This was his best friend! Eddie jumped up quickly and met Evan halfway outside the locker room.“Edmundo..?” Evan’s voice is so small and almost fragile feeling and Eddie can’t believe it.The next thing he knows, Evan is in his arms and he’s in Evan’s arms too.OR;Eddie and Buck met when they were young, became friends, then moved apart only to find each other many years later.
Relationships: Eddie Diaz & Adriana Diaz, Eddie Diaz & Christopher Diaz, Eddie Diaz & Eddie Diaz's Parents (9-1-1 TV), Evan "Buck" Buckley & Christopher Diaz, Evan "Buck" Buckley & Eddie Diaz's Parents, Evan "Buck" Buckley & Firehouse 118 Crew, Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz
Comments: 5
Kudos: 308





	Said Goodbye, Turned Around And You Were Gone (I Will Carry You With Me, ‘Till I See You Again)

**Author's Note:**

> There was a prompt on Tumblr that I saw talking about Buck and Eddie being friends in their younger years, one of them moving away and then meeting again and becoming more than friends! And so this was born! It's taken me a few days to get it all sorted and wrote, but I did it! This will also be posted on Tumblr.  
> -Piper  
> (Also, it's kind of a one shot I wrote for my birthday tomorrow, not even planned either.)

Evan runs up the graveled street leading to the two house prairie at the end. Evan can hear the other sets of footsteps behind him and laughs, but he’s beating him.

Evan turns the corner and his feet skid across the gravel, kicking up some of the small rocks and he hears him do it too. He’s so close. Just a couple more sprints and he he will win.

But suddenly he’s there, right next to him. Evan doesn’t say anything, just peeks at his best friends tanned skin and dark hair before pushing on. Ain’t no way he was losing, he momma didn’t raise a bitch.

A couple more paces and Evan slides across the gravel and grass touching his porch before he can. The boy groans and whines loudly while Evan jumps up and cheers.

Edmundo falls back against the grass and stares up at Evan.

“You cheated,” Edmundo says and Evan snorts, plopping down next to his best friend. The girls are now arriving, Madeline making conversation with Adriana and Sofia.

“I did not, you were right next to me and we started when Maddie and Sofi hit the street,” Evan defends and Edmundo rolls his eyes.

“Diaz! Buckley! Come in now!” Edmundo’s mom, Helena, shouts out into the yards and the boys get up. Both are still panting but smile at each other. Despite always claiming the other’s cheating, they always look forward to the daily running competition.

Madeline, Sofia and Adriana have already reached the door by the time they run into the house at fifty miles per hour. They both laugh as the dogs start to chase after them around the kitchen. Both Helen and Ramon are in the kitchen and scold the boys as they run by.

Despite living here for many many years, Helena and Ramon have only met Mr. and Mrs. Buckley a handful of times; not even making it to first name basis. And lately the two Buckley kids have been staying with them while they’re gone.

Madeline gets along with the girl just fine, but it’s Edmundo and Evan that surprise them. After knowing each other for two hours, they shunned each other and were in a small competition starting kindergarten. Then they suddenly became best friends when Evan came running over to their house one evening. Madeline wasn’t currently home, being out with Adriana and couldn’t get a certain problem on his math sheet.

Edmundo immediately stepped up and helped him out. After that, they might’ve well been attached at the hip. It was a definite change between them and the Diaz’s were hopeful about it.

Then Evan and Madeline started staying over more because of their parents being gone all the time and Madeline only being around the age of 10 not being able to help take care of Evan.

Now, halfway through first grade, Edmundo and Evan are like brother, maybe even closer than brothers can be. (But instead platonic way because they are first graders.)

Edmundo sits at the table with Evan by his side and Helena dishes out some snacks to them.

“How was school, hijos?” Ramon asks, leaning against the counter and watching them devour the food Helena put down.

“Amazing!” Evan says, mouth full but a hand covering it. Edmundo slaps him, finishes chewing and swallowing and smiling at his dad.

“We found a couple frogs in the playground!” The wounded look Evan had on his face was replaced with a bright smile and eyes as he nods enthusiastically. Ramon shakes his head, but has a small smile on his lips as he watches the boys.

“I named one Ryan!” Evan yells excitedly, Helena chuckles from her position at the stove.

“Yeah!” Edmundo nods his head the same way. “I named the other one Oliver!”

Madeline snorted behind them.

“Really? You named frogs?” Adriana commented and Helena pointed a finger at her.

“Shuddup! At least we weren’t ogling most of the fifth grade!” Evan shouts back and the three girls gasp in sync.

“Evan!” Madeline gasps and Evan sticks his tongues out.

“Girls are gross anyway,” Edmundo murmured and Evan nodded.

“Definitely.”

The girls huffed in the background when suddenly the front door opened. Ramon got up from his slouch as Mr.Buckley strutted into the room.

“Evan, Madeline, come with me,” he says sternly. Madeline nor Evan make a move. The oldest Buckley doesn’t seem to enjoy this and growls.

“Buckley, where are you taking them?” Ramon asks and Mr.Buckley looks at him.

“Nothing that concerns you, Diaz,” he says dismissively, “now, Madeline.” Madeline gets up and moved to her dad. He tells her something, but Evan doesn’t hear as he grabs Edmundo’s hand under the table. Madeline leaves and Mr.Buckley fixes his glare on Evan.

“Let’s go, Evan,” he growls and Evan sighs. He gets off the chair and looks at Edmundo. The other boys gets off his chair and hugs Evan close.

“Race ya home tomorrow afternoon?” Edmundo asks, trying to lighten the obviously killed mood and Evan giggles.

“Of course.” Edmundo leans in, placed a fat smooch on Evan’s cheek, just like he has for the past year and a half and Evan did the same before his dad interrupted again. Evan smiled at Edmundo before he waved happily and followed his dad out.

“Bye, Sofi and Adri! Bye, Helena and Ramon!” Evan yelled back and the Diaz’s waved to him too. Evan kept eye contact with Edmundo though until they were down the gravel road aways.

The boys never had their afternoon race the next day. In fact, the two boys never did race again.

Edmundo had to watch as a ‘For Sale’ sign went up next door. He had to come to reality that his best friend wasn’t coming back. His sisters, mother and father got a bit reserved after that. So did Edmundo.

Evan had to watch as him and his family moved into a new home far away from the warm prairie he shared with his best friend. He stopped participating and soon he was alone, as he thought he deserved.

——————

Evan, or now formerly called Buck, just got hired to be a firefighter for the Los Angeles Fire Department.

He had made his mistakes, he’s not going to lie, he was still in his rebellious stage that first year working for the 118. Buck regrets a lot of what he did, but he can honestly say he’s learned from it.

Now, nearly a year after joining the LAFD, he cannot be happier. He arrives to work one morning, bouncy and just overall happy. He hasn’t been this happy in a couple months. Something was different when he woke up this morning.

When Buck arrives at the station, he notices his teammates staring at something, or someone, and he goes over to look too. He can’t see the man’s face, but damn, is he ripped. An old part of him awakens and he pushes it down before it can even finish a ‘hello!’

“Team, meet Eddie Diaz, he’s the new recruit,” Bobby says eventually and Buck can see his face. Everything suddenly stops in his mind. He doesn’t register his bag dropping to the ground or him moving forward. The team is calling out to him, but the other man has looked up too and is wearing an expression akin to his own.

The team watches in silence as the two men approach each other.

“Edmundo..?” Buck’s voice is soft and fragile, as if he can’t believe his own eyes.

Neither can Eddie.

——————

Edmundo, or Eddie as he shortened his name to, continued on his life without his best friend. He joined the Army, got married to a fine young lady and had the most adorable child, but then it all fell apart.

That’s how he ended up in Los Angeles, applying for a job at the 118 fire station. When Eddie woke up that morning and when to check in on his son, Christopher, he felt that today was going to be good. There was something different about today.

He arrived to the station early to change and stay in the locker rooms for a bit.

When he heard a bag drop loudly outside he realized he had specters and one awfully familiar pair of eyes following him. The man was moving towards him and Eddie would recognize that birthmark anywhere.

This was Evan! This was his best friend! Eddie jumped up quickly and met Evan halfway outside the locker room.

“Edmundo..?” Evan’s voice is so small and almost fragile feeling and Eddie can’t believe it.

The next thing he knows, Evan is in his arms and he’s in Evan’s arms too. Then Evan is pulling back again.

“I can’t believe it’s you!” Evan shouts and laughs at the same time. Eddie feels the ecstatic energy off of him and it rubs on him.

“I can’t either! Oh my god, Evan, you have to tell me everything!” Eddie shouts and he can see in the corner of his eyes the team questioning, ‘Evan..?’.

“I go by Buck now, but I will make sure I fill you in on everything!” Buck says and Eddie’s smile grows wider.

——————

“Wait! Buck!” Eddie says quickly before the other man jumps into his Jeep next to his truck. In comparison, Buck’s Jeep is much nicer than Eddie’s old beat up truck, but he pushes it away to the more important topic at hand.

“What?” Buck asks and Eddie sighs, casting his eyes away before back to his best friend. Today had been a busy day and Eddie had been trying to fit in all he could, about his life in Texas after then the reasons why he moved here, and every time he tried to tell him about Christopher, the bells went off, obscuring his plans. He got as far to tell him about Shannon and he was almost to the point of telling him she got pregnant, but never got the chance. Until now.

“I have to tell you something,” Eddie says and Buck gets a look of worry in his face. Eddie immediately hates the look and it takes him back to that day in his kitchen when they were in first grade. He remembers his worried face as his slightly smaller hand clutched his under the dining room table. Eddie says fuck it in his mind and looks Buck in the eye. “I have a kid. His name is Christopher.” Eddie gauges Buck’s reaction, watching as his eyes went from worry, to confusion, to pure and unbridled joy.

Eddie could’ve collapsed to his knees. He sends out a thankful prayer to whoever’s above as he listens to Buck’s sudden ramble.

“I love kids, Eddie! I want to meet him! Does he look just like you? I bet he does. And he’s probably the cutest thing ever. Seeing as how cute you were when we were kids-“ Buck’s ranting is cut short as Eddie blushes at the small compliment hidden in Buck’s rant.

“Okay, okay, c’mon. We have to pick him up from school then we can head over to my house, alright?” Eddie asks an Buck nods enthusiastically.

Soon, Eddie has Christopher in his backseat, all buckled up.

“Hey, Chris?” Eddie asks and Chris looks up.

“Yeah, dad?” The small boy asks, giving his brightest smile.

“You remember my old friend I talked about a couple months ago? Evan?” Eddie asks as he pulls into the main road and heads towards his new home.

“Yeah!” Then he gasps. “Do I get to meet him?” Chris is about as excited as Eddie was that morning.

“Yeah! I just saw him today!” Eddie had told Chris all about their little adventures as young boys. Their races home every week day, the adventures they had in the backyards, the amount of times Buck and him caught rattle snakes and other reptiles.

Chris had asked about meeting him multiple times, especially after his mother left considering he found Eddie looking at old photos of him and Buck and he saw how it made himself Kiel when nothing else could.

Eddie never really had an answer and now he does.

He pulls up to his house and see’s Buck’s Jeep already in the driveway. He gets out and helps Chris out of the car. Buck hops out of his Jeep and Eddie is waiting for the impending questions and accusations about Chris’s CP.

But they never come.

Buck is in literal awe. Eddie can see it on his face. The way his eyes light up with wonder and adoration.

“Hi! You must be Buck,” Chris introduces and sticks a small hand out. Buck kneels so he’s level with Chris and smiles at the small boy.

“Hi, there, Chris. I am Buck, it’s nice to meet you.” Eddie watches as Buck’s larger hand gently cups Chris’ way smaller hand. It shatters Eddie heart, but at the same time makes it melt in relief.

“Dad’s said so much about you! I’ve want to meet you for a while now! I’m glad I finally get too! Are you staying?” Chris asks and Eddie smiles as Buck nods again, his head shaking wildly.

“If you want me to stay and it’s okay with your dad,” Buck looks up at Eddie and his eyes are near pleading. Eddie nods and both boys cheer and throw fist pumps into the air.

Why did Eddie think Buck was going to turn away Chris? Buck hadn’t changed one bit, just grew a bit taller and bulkier, maybe a little more mature and smarter, but he was still the same old Buck Eddie grew up with.

——————

Weeks pass by and as they do, Buck and Chris get along so fast. When the earthquake hit, both Buck and Eddie were on edge all day. Once they were back home with Chris that night, everything was okay.

But once day, Eddie felt his old feelings resurfacing. What awakened them? Buck most likely. He’s been doing so much for them that Eddie can’t ever possibly pay him back and he’s told Buck that. Buck always replies the same way.

“No need, Eddie. You always helped when we were kids, it’s my turn now.”

Out of all the feelings he got from Buck helping him and Chris out, he was not expecting his old crush on Buck coming back.

It wasn’t a lie. Adriana knew about it. He had come to her crying one night when he realized Buck was never coming back.

———

_“Adri-“ Edmundo sniffled quietly into the room, careful not to wake up his other sister in the room. Adriana sat up in bed and look towards the door._

_“Eds? What’s goin’ on, buddy?” Adriana asks, patting the bed beside her. Edmundo crawled into the soft sheets and cuddled up to his sister. She wiped his tears and snot from his face with a tissue and stared at her little brother. “What’s going on, Eds? Is it a girl at school? Are they giving you trouble again?” Adriana asks and Edmundo shakes his head._

_It’s quite the opposite._

_“I-I think-“ Edmundo cut himself off when he heard Sofia shuffle in the bed next to Adriana’s. He didn’t want her to wake up because he knew she’d tease him until his parents found out and he’d be really screwed then. Once it’s silent again, Edmundo gulps in some air before continuing. “I-I think I like Evan,” he whispers and Adriana lifts his head._

_“You think so?” she asks calmly. Edmundo nods. That’s why he’s crying currently. He just woke from a dream where he got to see Buck again and hug him and he even kissed his cheek like he saw Adriana do to her girlfriends! But then Buck was ripped away, voices laughing at Eddie and scolding him for being gay._

_His parents weren’t overly accepting and they sure as hell wouldn’t like their only son to like another boy and that’s when Edmundo woke up panting and crying._

_“Well, what kind of like? As your best friend?” Adriana asks and Edmundo shakes his head._

_“M-More,” he whispers, suddenly afraid of Adriana’s reaction. His sister was always accepting of him, but since he just graduated first grade, he doesn’t think she’ll understand where he’s coming from._

_“Like a crush, Eds?” She whispers back and Edmundo gives on curt nod. She leans down and kisses the small boys head gently. “Oh, bubba, c’mere.” She pulled him closer and Edmundo buried his face in Adriana’s neck._

_Edmundo starts crying again and he tries so hard to push down the feelings. He shouldn’t be feeling these things, especially since Evan isn’t here with him to help him._

_“I understand, buddy. I know you miss him, we all do, I could see it the day I walked out of school. You waited, and waited. I watched as Evan never appeared and your face, oh god, it was pure heartbreak. I don’t expect you to understand much of this now, but I believe he likes you too, Eds. You’ll find him and you’ll make things right between you. I believe in you.”_

———

Eddie hasn’t forgotten that night for years. Hell, when he met Shannon for the first time in high school he remembered Adriana's promise. Then he forgot about it. When he and Shannon married, then had Chris, then he enlisted for the Army, Eddie just kind of spaced it. Now, everything he had felt those years after Buck was taken from him is resurfacing and rearing it's ugly head, (or not-so-ugly if it was in the shape of Buck) making Eddie sick some nights as he laid in bed. 

Then the whole ladder truck accident happened. How that had opened Eddie's eyes. Watching his best friend suffer like he was under tons of weight snapped something Eddie. When he was recovered and out of the hospital, Eddie was determined to confess what he had been feeling since was way young. Just, one thing got into his way; Ali. The lady they had saved in the earthquake earlier that year had stuck around and put a dent in Eddie's plans. 

Chris had asked about it, why his dad seemed a bit down lately and Eddie just told Chris it had been a few hard days at work. But when Buck showed up at his door one night, tears streaming down his reddened cheeks, Eddie had realized what happened. He let Buck in and they sat on the couch for a while, sipping the beers Eddie had brought out earlier for himself. Chris was at a sleepover so it wasn't like he cared. 

"Ali broke up with me," Buck says quietly, afraid to speak. "She said I've been too distracted lately and the stress of my job was too much for her." Eddie reaches over an arm and wraps it around Buck's shoulders. The slightly younger man leans into Eddie's side gently. "Seeing you again has brought up so many memories. Some good, some bad." Eddie rubs his shoulder. He understands, honestly.

"Same here," Eddie says quietly and Buck sniffles.

"I remember the last day I was with you. Dad pulling me from your home then forcing me into that cramped car. He moved us to Pennsylvania. I remember I kept telling him I had to be back for our race tomorrow until finally he snapped and told me I was never going to race with 'that gay Diaz boy again.' It broke my heart and I had a temper tantrum in the backseat. Maddie could barely calm me down before I just watched the land pass by as I cried. It was the worst day of my life," Buck admits. Eddie frowns softly. That brings back his own memories. The sinking in his gut when Buck hadn't walked out those doors that day at school, how he cried all night because he thought Buck blew him off for something else.

"I waited for you," Eddie whispers, staring at a picture of Chris and Buck on his wall. Buck looks at him and Eddie can see it in his peripheral. Eddie sucks in a breath before continuing. "I waited outside the school for an hour, hoping you'd walk out, but you never did. Adriana was the one that pulled me away from the school finally. I shut out everyone that night. I didn't eat any dinner and cried myself to sleep. Then I didn't go to school for the rest of the week." 

Eddie looks down at Buck and he sees those bright eyes that he had as a kid too. He gets lost in them for a bit when it reminds him of another memory.

———

_The corner was just ahead, if he could just get around it on the inside, he could easily bypass him, like he's been trying to do for the past few min - Edmundo slows down when he hears cries and a plume of dust and dirt fly up. He runs over and finds Evan on the ground, holding his ankle and knee. His knee is bleeding and had gravel all over it. He's crying, eyes sparkling in the late afternoon sun._

_Edmundo looks to the house, he could easily win today and gain another point, but as he looks to Evan, cradling his ankle and knee, he discovers that he doesn't care about the stupid point today. He crouches down and hold out an open palm. Evan looks up at him, sniffling and wiping snot on the back of his hand._

_"But-But-" he tries, but Edmundo shakes his head._

_"I'm not leaving you behind. C'mon." Turns out, Evan can't stand at all, so Edmundo does what his dad did when he broke his shin. He puts an arm under Evan's knees and one around his shoulders. He picks up the smaller, but heavier boy. It takes a minute for him to get stable on his two feet, Evan's eyes going fearful for a moment before he carries Evan all the way to the house. He kicks the door with his shoe. A couple seconds later, Ramon is at the door and paling at the sight of dirtied and injured Evan._

_"To the bathroom, Edmundo. I'll get your mother." Edmundo goes that way, letting Evan rest his head against his collarbone. It was oddly soothing. When Edmundo sets Evan on the side of the large tub, the boy doesn't let go of his arm. He pulls Edmundo to him, kisses his cheek quickly and murmurs a 'thank you,' before his mother and sister are rushing into the room to help. Edmundo steps back then leaves when his dad tells him too, shooting a small smile to Evan on his way out. In the kitchen, he sees the board of votes. He walks over and puts a tally under Evan's name._

_He deserves it._

_———_

"You remember that time I stopped the race to help you then carried you back home?" Eddie asks and Buck's taken aback by the sudden question, but nods as he looks at Eddie. "That kiss...on my cheek?" Eddie says next and he watches as Buck blushes next to him.

"It was a spur of the moment thing, but I don't regret it." Eddie nods then looks down at Buck.

"You were a little too much to the right, I think..?" Eddie hesitantly says. He watched a look of confusion flash in those baby blues before Buck seems to realize what Eddie's getting at. The room is still silent for another few moments. Then Buck is leaning up into Eddie space, smiling a little dopily at him. Then they're kissing. And Eddie floats away from his body and this world.

_———_

_Evan rolls over, grunting softly as he lands next to a small body not unlike his own. He yawns and looks at the boy next to him. He stayed at Edmundo's again the night before and Evan can't find it in himself to feel the least bit guilty. His knee still burns from the accident a few days ago. He had sprained his ankle and severely scraped his knee._

_He keeps telling Ed that he could run and win a point every day, but he refuses every time and says he'd rather lose a point than leave a limping Evan behind. It warms Evan in a way he can barely explain to himself. So, Evan curls in closer to Edmundo, hiding his face in between Ed's shoulder and neck. It's nice and warm and Evan basks in it before the two of them are being called out to the kitchen for breakfast._

_Edmundo and Evan sit next to each other as they always did and chatted mindlessly to each other. It was Saturday so the two boys don't have to worry about school or anything of the sort. They munch on their cereal as Madeline and Adriana are emerging from their own rooms. Sofia isn't far behind and she's all happy and chipper. Ramon is reading the paper and sipping his coffee as he sits in the living room. Helena is busying around the kitchen, making breakfast for the girls appearing._

_Evan looks at Edmundo and smiles gently, "what do you want to do today?" Edmundo turns to him and shrugs._

_"How's your leg?" He asks back and Evan shrugs._

_"It hurts a little bit, but nothing I can't handle," Evan responds and Edmundo nods._

_"We can stay inside and play with some of my toys, maybe even take a walk around the yard. I don't wanna do anything that'll hurt you," Edmundo says and Evan smiles before Sofia snorts._

_"That hasn't stopped you before, Eds. What gives?" Sofia says and Edmundo glares at her._

_"I don't understand. I just don't want my best friend hurt anymore than he already is." The girl rolls her eyes before resuming her breakfast. Both Madeline and Adriana shoot them weirdly fond looks before resuming their own breakfast also. Both boys brushed it off and finished their food before getting up and heading outside._

_They run around for most of the morning until Helena calls them in for lunch and to change Evan's bandages. Helena changed his bandages quickly, then sent Evan back to the table to eat his lunch._

_"Now, Edmundo, I need you to run to town for me real quick after lunch, okay?" Ramon asks and the young boy nods._

_"Of course, pa, what's up?"_

_"Just need a small part picked up from Joe down at the car shop, and well, you're faster than the truck, I think," his face is stern, but both boys can see a hint of fondness in them._

_"Should I bring Evan?" Edmundo asks and Ramon shook his head._

_"Shouldn't take you more than a few minutes._ _So, Evan kissed Edmundo's cheek quickly before he grabbed the list from his dad (who had left the room to get it) then sent him off with a wave._

_Ramon didn't lie. He was gone for a total of seven minutes and thirty-five seconds._

_———_

Buck won't lie. He didn't think he'd ever see his best friend -- and childhood crush -- again. He knew it was hopeless to try and find him, even if he had stayed in that one house until he was nineteen, then returned after leaving the ARMY, but Buck did hope. He hoped he'd at least see Eddie in passing one day, say hi, ask to meet up, have a couple beers, and keep in touch, at least.

Now, a year after Eddie showed up at the 118, he's happily dating the man and getting ready to move to the next step, proposing. It wasn't anything too special. He had Chris help him with it. 

Him and Chris cooked dinner at home one night, waiting for Eddie to get off his twelve hour shift. It ended up running into a eighteen hour shift after they got stuck at a pretty gruesome multi-car pile up at the last possible minute. When Eddie walked through the door, he was greeted by his son hugging him, his boyfriend kissing him gently and taking his bag before Chris was leading Eddie to the bathroom where a bath was set up.

"Take as much time as you need, daddy," Chris says, kisses his father's forehead and leaves the room. If Eddie sheds a few tears, well, only Eddie has to know that.

After about an hour in the tub -- Buck periodically making sure Eddie hadn't drowned himself -- he got out and got dressed in some comfy clothes. He walked to the kitchen and saw it set up as normal and sat with his boys. They ate, chatted about their days and soon enough, the end of dinner was upon them and Buck was giggle while whispering to Chris.

"Wanna let me in on whatever you're scheming about over there?" Eddie asks and the boys giggle some more. Chris pulls out a card and hands it to Eddie. The man smiles gently at first and open sit, too preoccupied on the card to notice Buck standing then kneeling in front of him.

 _'Dad, will you make Bucky my official second dad?'_ Was printed in Chris's handwriting and when he looked up, preparing to ask what Chris meant, he saw Buck on one knee, a ring and box in his hand. Tears welled up in Eddie's eyes and he dropped the card in his hands.

"Yes.." he whispers and when Buck's face breaks out into the largest smile he's possibly seen on him for the first time, the tears spill, the ring slid on his finger, Chris squeals next to them and they hug. "I love you, Evan."

It's the first time he's said these words to him and they feel right.

"I love you too, Edmundo." Buck didn't miss a beat, didn't even hesitate.

It filled Eddie with a warmth he hasn't felt since Christopher was born. Speaking of...

"I like that you used our kid to propose," he purposefully put in the 'our kid' because Chris had always been their kid. Buck just smiled then shot a grin to Chris who grinned back.

"Yeah, well, I thought it fit," Buck says, blushes, then turns his head away.

"I thought of the card idea!" Chris adds helpfully and the two older men smile at Chris just like Maddie and Adri did when they were younger. Eddie pulls Buck to him and plants a big ol' smooch on his lips and chuckled into them when Chris squealed again, but this time in disgust. They all started laughing then.

Buck suddenly became grateful he ran over to the Diaz's to ask for Eddie's help that day in first grade. Who knows where he'd be without it. Eddie had similar thoughts as he watched his two boys play around after dinner. He's glad he moved out to L.A. to try and restart. 

And Chris was just glad he could see both of his dad's happy again.


End file.
